


Love Rune

by NvrLndBoi



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Canon Typical Conflicts and Violence, Fluff, Love rune, Married Herongraystairs, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Secret Relationships, courting gifts, peace treaties, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:22:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29245017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NvrLndBoi/pseuds/NvrLndBoi
Summary: With their honeymoon over Jem, Tessa, and Will now have to return back to their kingdoms and face the reveal of their years-long hidden relationship.
Relationships: Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray/Will Herondale
Comments: 11
Kudos: 10
Collections: Rare Pair Gift Exchange





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sleepy_sendhelp](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepy_sendhelp/gifts).



> Hello!
> 
> I will be adding extra warnings just incase through the beginning notes so please pay attention to them. 
> 
> Thank you, [brightasstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars) for being my Beta in this fic.
> 
> Enjoy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A soft morning to what may be a tedious day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> I will be adding extra warnings just incase through the beginning notes so please pay attention to them. 
> 
> Thank you, [brightasstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars) for being my Beta in this fic.
> 
> Enjoy.

Will rolled over and immediately heard the grumbles from Tessa and Jem in protest. Four hands pulled the Shadowhunter back into his spot between the other two. 

“Too early,” grumbled Jem into Will’s shoulder. 

“Little longer,” Tessa supported as she wrapped her arm around Will’s waist, snuggling closer into him. She opened her eyes and smiled at the sight of both of her husbands basking in the morning’s light. Tessa allowed herself to soak in the warmth and tranquility the moment radiated. 

“Just a bit more,” Will conceded and fell into the loving caresses. His wife and husband were never morning people and while at times that allowed him to make them breakfast undisturbed, on days like today it meant that they would do anything to keep him in bed with them. 

“How do you think they’ll react?” Jem quietly asked, finally opening his eyes. He unconsciously started to trace the fresh and still evolving love rune on Will’s shoulder. “It’s not like they can reverse it but they won’t be pleased.” 

“They’ll have to figure out how to live with it,” Will huffed and pulled Jem closer. 

“This isn’t for them to dictate,” Tessa replied as the sleep and serenity of the previous moment faded away. She shifted to free her other hand from underneath Will’s pillow, and reached towards Jem, running her hand through his hair. “We won’t give them the chance to tear us apart, right?” 

“Right,” both Will and Jem confirmed. 

They laid there for a few more moments switching back to their honeymoon phase and whispering promises of love and courage to each other. The three of them had known that eloping in secret would cause shock through the whole of the Shadow World. Still, after years of secret dates and stolen glances in public, the trio had decided enough was enough. 

Thanks to an unceremonious removal of the previous king; and quick placement of his son on the throne, the Warlock Kingdom had become a peaceful one. With the change in leadership, the kingdom had begun to form alliances with other kingdoms. The most volatile yet important of those being between Edom, the Warlock Kingdom, and Alicante, the Kingdom of Shadowhunters.

Before the Lake Lynn Treaty, both kingdoms were often at each other’s borders bringing different threats of war and conflict; neither side’s hands were clean during those days. 

Jem and Will both fought in the front lines for Alicante during some of the skirmishes, while Tessa strategized and aided in the coop to allow the Prince of Edom to overthrow his father. Their paths didn’t cross till the first time a white flag was waved at Lake Lynn, and kingdom representatives for both sides met. 

Tessa remembered the first time she saw them as she walked into the tent, Jem was wrapping and tending to Will’s wounds while they had waited for the meeting to begin. She had heard of the duo’s prowess on the battlefield, from Jem’s calculating nature to Will’s brute strength. Edom knew their names well. 

The crackle of magic disrupted their peaceful bubble pulling them back to the present. 

Tessa sighed as she caught the fire message and immediately recognized the magic. 

‘I hope the union went well but our kingdom is restless without you here and Lorenzo keeps forgetting himself. Please consider returning soon.’ 

She chuckled at the message from King Bane.

“Good news?” Jem inquired. 

“Just Magnus being his usual dramatic self,” Tessa responded as she released Will from her hold and pushed herself into a sitting position. “Apparently the Warlock Court is falling apart without my presence.” 

“Aren’t they like decades old? Why are they acting like children?” Will asked as he rolled over to at least keep Jem in his hold. He was prepared to get up earlier, but now that he felt how cold the world outside the blankets was, he was rethinking that idea.

“Will we’ve talked about this. It is rude to inquire about a warlocks' age,” Jem reprimanded. 

“Yes it is Jem, but Will is right they do act like children at times,” Tessa giggled, and saw the tiny nod from Will to signify ‘See told you so.’

“So guess we chose the right time to come back,” Jem noted as he ran his hands through Will’s hair, tugging at times to try and get him to get out of bed. “Do they know where we are?” 

“I doubt they thought we would use my personal cottage as a hideout when we returned,” Tessa said, playing with the fire message’s paper in her hands. “The fire message simply sought my magic out.” 

“Did he send you some before?” Will asked not remembering any fire messages while on the honeymoon. 

“No, I had my magic basically create a return to sender block,” Tessa answered as she pulled the robe from the hook near her. “Even if anyone did try I wouldn’t know. If Magnus wanted to get a hold of me he knows how.” 

“The Clave is going to be so angry when we show up today,” Will groaned. “They are gonna make a spectacle of it.” 

“Don’t you mean you will at the first snide comment?” Jem corrected as he slipped out of bed and stretched out as he stood.

“No need for the call out,” Will pouted and sighed sitting up. It always ended like this when he was coaxed back into bed. The jerks always left him alone when they wanted but forbade him to get out of the bed first. 

“Behave today,” Tessa called out as she had already made her way to the bathroom to begin her morning routine,“I don’t want to hear through Lorenzo’s gossip that there was a fight in Alicante.” 

“Please you’d hear it from Jem first,” Will stated as he smirked. “Our Jem would probably fire message you before I even threw the first punch.” 

Tessa and Jem both rolled their eyes at that. They both knew how protective and rash their Herondale could be at times. 

“Don’t worry Tess, I’ll keep him in line,” Jem assured her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits:
> 
> Beta: [brightasstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars)


	2. Storge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tessa faces some opposition to her recent marriage but a close friend steps in and offers advice and support.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Warnings.
> 
> Enjoy.

“Finally decided to grace us with your attendance?” Jax’s snide comment greeted Tessa as the portal closed behind her.

Tessa had hoped that portaling straight into her wing of the council's building would allow her to avoid most people but it seemed luck wasn’t on her side today. 

“Ah, Jax I didn’t know you were going to be visiting today,” Tessa responded with a fake smile. She didn’t exactly detest Jax but she was well aware of his drive to become one of the King’s trusted court members. Jax never missed a chance to shine a light on anyone’s shortcomings. 

“Someone had to upkeep things after your little M.I.A. stunt,” Jax responded. “Edom should be our priority.” 

“I made the King aware of my absence,” Tessa defended herself, rolling her eyes. “I don’t need to explain myself to anyone but him.”

“Even so I heard you didn’t even provide a return date,” he continued, annoyance starting to bleed into his voice. 

“Jax, are you speaking for me again?” Magnus’ voice rang through the corridor. “I thought I demonstrated with Lorenzo how much I detest that. I am capable of maintaining my own court members.” 

“Of course your majesty,” Jax paled as he answered, quickly scampering away after excusing himself. 

“See what I had to deal with while you were gone?” Magnus whined and pouted at one of his closest friends. 

“I warned you,” Tessa replied with a smile. “I told you to contact Catarina in my absence.” 

“You could’ve told me where you were,” Magnus continued to poke. 

“Is this you asking me where I was, your majesty?” 

“I am asking,” Magnus confirmed. “We are about to hold court Tessa, I will always favor you but you took off for a month with no explanation. Please Tessa give me a leg to stand on and defend you.” 

Tessa looked at Magnus and sighed. She knew he wasn’t asking to be malicious but still she didn’t know how her friend would react to this.

“I was away getting married,” Tessa confirmed as she unglamoured the bracelet that held the wedded and love rune. She was a warlock and couldn’t bear them so Will and Jem had made the piece of jewelry specifically for her. 

“Are those runes from Shadowhunters?” Magnus asked, his voice measured. “Tessa, did you hide so you could wed someone from Alicante?” 

“I went away so that I could wed Jem Carstairs and Will Herondale,” Tessa confirmed. She knew Magnus would never stand in her way but she also knew that this could cause a conflict of interest in the court. 

“Both Carstairs and Herondale,” Magnus repeated and looked over the bracelet again. He noticed the shifting love rune and watched it as the rune settled. 

_ Storge _

“You’ve known them both for a while,” Magnus stated. He had studied Alicante customs for long enough to recognize their runes. “From my memory, you three were together for the peace meetings years ago.” 

“That’s where we met,” Tessa confirmed and noticed the King’s stare on the love rune’s current form. While the most common was the agape rune, Jem had explained to her that the love rune would morph between the eight different love runes. In Shadowhunters’ culture if your love rune shifted it confirmed the Angel’s blessing of the union. Will had only told her of a few cases where the rune never shifted for a Shadowhunter. 

“I’ve read it usually takes close to a year before the rune shifts,” Magnus commented as he waved her to follow him as he led them to the Warlock Court’s meeting room. “That must be some union for their Angel to accept it so fast.” 

“I will admit it was startling at first,” Tessa smiled, recalling the courting attempts of her Shadowhunter husbands. “It was a clear example of how different our cultures are. Did you know they give blades as courting gifts?” 

“Blades? What use would that even have?” Magnus questioned. 

“Well they are a society of warriors,” Tessa continued as she opened the door for the King. “For them keeping their partner safe in battle by providing them with high-quality weapons is a great honor. Receiving a gift like that is an envied gesture. The Shadowhunter accepting it will display the weapon and use it for battles during the courting period.” 

“So you have one?” 

“I do but they were careful with the blade,” she motioned to the hip holster she now kept unglamoured. “Will wanted to get a broadsword apparently, but luckily Jem talked him down to a small pocket dagger.” 

“Lucky for us,” Magnus chuckled as he took his seat at the head of the table. He watched as Tessa took her seat next to him and sighed rubbing his hands over his face. “You know they will ask for your removal.” 

“Will you allow it?” 

“I will do my best to avoid it but I won’t be like my father and force my will upon my court,” Magnus explained. He knew that he had already shown too much nepotism toward Tessa. “I am happy you found love my friend but peace is still fragile. I wish you had confided in me before committing. I don’t want you to come to regret that love.” 

“I could never regret loving Jem and Will,” Tessa answered, tracing her bracelet with a finger. “I will handle whatever the others have prepared to de-seat me.“ 

Magnus smiled and looked into the fire sparking in Tessa’s eyes. He felt bad for whatever the court's members decided to question her about. She had held her seat through the previous King’s court, led a coop, and secured an initial treaty with Alicante, and those achievements weren’t easily traversed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits:
> 
> Beta: [brightasstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars)


	3. Mania

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will shows the Shadowhunters how far he will for his marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Violence and Nephilim typical racism towards Downworlders. It is a hurt/comfort with some comedy in it but not a lot.
> 
> Enjoy.

“Jem!” a young Shadowhutner tore through the command center. He had one mission in mind. Retrieve Will Herondale’s parabatai and apparently husband before he lost his own parabatai. Only Jem could calm Will right now. “Carstairs! Jem!” 

Jem felt the burning anger from his parabatai rune and looked at the love rune on his forearm shifting between the mania rune and storge rune. The mania rune raised a high concern in him. That meant possessiveness. But why would Tess or Will be possessive? His partners had no need to feel jealous and he liked to believe that they had good communication. 

“JEM!!!!” the Shadowhunter broke through Jem’s office door. “Jem! Get Will!” 

Jem shot up and strode toward the panting boy. He didn’t have a good feeling about what was happening. He pulled the boy up from his collar and spoke. “Where?” 

“Training room 2!” the Shadowhunter doubled down in pain and clutched at the parabatai rune on his wrist. “My parabatai angered him.”

“Of course they did,” Jem bit back before dropping the Shadowhunter to get his parabatai. He could still feel the seething anger consuming their bond. Jem turned the corner to the training rooms and immediately heard the cheers and yelling coming from one of them. 

He pushed his way through the crowd. Most Shadowhunters moved away once they realized who he was; no one wanted to be in the way of a parabatai duo. 

“What’s wrong? I don’t have magic gear on,” Will taunted as he kicked the Shadowhunter. “Wasn’t that the only reason I was the best? Come on Adam!” Will circled his prey, eyes flicking around trying to guess the best next move. 

“Fuck you Herondale! Your demon probably gave you a potion or something!” Adam stupidly shot back. “I bet the treaty was just the first step and you three will have us become pets to them! Just like you and Jem are now!” 

“Adam you are really trying to get a beating today,” Will grinned as he broke through Adam’s block, landing a hit straight to the Shadowhunter’s abdomen. “Want to keep talking nonsense?”

“What nonsense? You married a demon and your own parabatai!” Adam continued, pushing himself off the floor before getting back to his stance. “I bet the love rune shifting is just her magic messing with the Angel’s blessing.” 

Will growled and dropped low, sweeping his leg under Adam, causing the idiotic Shadowhunter to fall once again. He quickly delivered another direct kick to Adam’s stomach before he felt a hand resting on his shoulder. Will thought it was Adam’s parabatai again but stopped when he saw Jem’s eyes staring back at him. 

“Will, you said you wouldn’t fight,” Jem sighed as he looked over to Adam’s parabatai trying to quickly apply some iratze runes to his parabatai. “Tess won’t be happy.” 

“It’s not my fault the academy is giving us idiots to train,” Will huffed, “Someone has to set them right.”

“What even happened?” Jem questioned as he looked over his husband to check for any wounds. It seemed like the other wasn't able to land a single hit. 

“I would like to know that as well, cousin,” a new voice broke through the crowd. “Wonder what my parabatai will say when I tell him the new training rooms were being used as a fight club.” 

Will grimaced as he turned and faced his younger cousin, Jace. “Who summoned you?” 

“Aww can’t I drop in on my older cousin?” Jace pouted in mock hurt, “Words around Alicante say that I have two new cousins-in-law.” 

Will groaned at the joy he saw running through the younger Herondale’s eyes. Ever since Alec Lightwood, Jace’s parabatai took the Consul seat in The Clave; Jace hadn’t missed a chance to brag about his parabatai’s position. 

“Did Lightworm send you to derune us?” Will asked, still defensive. 

“You think Alec would send your own cousin to derune you?” Jace asked and looked at Will as if he was dumb. “Please, he’d send a whole army if he meant to derune a Herondale. Alec isn’t that stupid.” 

“At least there is hope for the future Lightworms,” Will continued and sighed, finally relaxing a bit. “So why are you here actually?” 

“Consul Lightwood sent me in order to congratulate you both and make it known that he endorses your union, just like the Angel does,” Jace stated clearly and loudly making sure to deliver the warning, “Looks like I might have to make an incident report already.” 

Adam and his parabatai both paled at Jace’s gaze on them. 

Jem sighed and watched as the Herondale cousins tortured the parabatai duo with threats. Luckily like Will, Jace had Alec to reign him in, if needed. He pulled his Stele out and sent out a fire message to Tessa, in case she was watching the love rune and wondering what was happening. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits:
> 
> Beta: [brightasstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars)


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A soft ending to an eventful day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Small depiction of Shadowhunters hunting demons. Really it is only 2 or 3 lines.
> 
> I had a bunch of fun taking part in this exchange and hope that it returns again so I can participate again! Thank you to the organizer(s) and I hope my giftee enjoyed her fic. She is an amazing writer and if you haven't make sure to check out her [Tumblr](https://sleepy-sendhelp.tumblr.com/) or if you want more Herongraystairs she has an ongoing series: [Herongraystairs <3 ](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810132) that I follow and recommend!
> 
> Enjoy.

Jem sighed looking around as he slipped his blade back into the ornate cane, a courting gift from Will. He watched his husband retrieve a few salvageable throwing knives from the fallen demons. Jem didn’t know why his parabatai bothered with it but waited nonetheless. 

“Those were the last ones, right?” Will asked, rolling his shoulder back and activating his own iratze rune.

“Tonight’s hunt ends with these,” Jem confirmed and felt the exhaustion from the fights start to take over, “We should head home.” 

“Home,” Will repeated with a childish smile, “That means Tess’ cottage right?” 

“Our cottage,” Jem corrected with a soft smile. They had agreed that all three would move in with Tessa and share her old cottage in the outskirts of Edom. It made sure none of them resided in Edom or Alicante. It was a precaution they took in case things didn’t go as smooth and accepting when they revealed their relationship. 

“Do you think Tess is home already?” Will asked longingly. 

“Why don’t we see?” Jem suggested as he pulled out the necklace Tessa had given him as her courting gift. The necklace worked as a single person portal back to their cottage, the perfect match to the ring that she had gifted Will, both enchanted with the same spell. Tessa had wanted to ensure they would always have a way back to her. 

“Right!” Will agreed, holding out his hand and watching as it started to glow with Tessa’s magic stored in it. He smiled at the warm licks of her magic before they subsided to create a very small portal, barely big enough for the Shadowhunter to jump into. He looked over and watched his husband enter his own portal, and he quickly passed through his own after Jem. 

“Welcome home,” Tessa’s soft voice greeted them as the warmth of the fireplace wrapped and coaxed them further into the cottage, “I see my gift was of use.” 

Jem and Will immediately found themselves on the couch, with Tessa in the middle of them. 

“I heard you had an interesting day,” Tessa teased, as she let her magic sweep over both of her husbands, seeking any lingering injuries their iratzes might’ve not healed.

“Tattle tell,” Will grumbled at Jem as he felt the warm strands of his wife’s magic sweep over him. He closed his eyes and hummed into the warm buzz that followed every magical caress. 

“She would’ve found out either way,” Jem defended himself and kissed Will’s cheek before settling his head on Tessa’s shoulder. He watched as the sparks float around them. Tessa’s magic was always soft like her touches, careful and tender. 

“Let’s leave the fighting for another day,” Tessa resolved and settled in her spot on the couch, nestled on both sides by her husbands. Soon she heard Jem's soft snores, closely followed by Will’s yawn. Tessa closed her eyes and wished she had the foresight to have led them all to bed before this happened. Will and Jem always came back dead tired and running on adrenaline and runes alone. She should’ve foreseen this scenario. 

With the last of her consciousness, Tessa summoned a thick duvet to cover them all and snuggled back into her spot between the parabatai duo. Today was conquered and the future didn’t look as bleak as it did the previous night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits:
> 
> Thank you a million times over to my wonderful Beta: [brightasstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars)


End file.
